Rent vs buy

How big is an acre? What is an option?
Do I need hazard insurance?

National market update

Existing-Home Sales Lose Momentum in November as Inventory Slightly Tightens

WASHINGTON (February 23, 2015) – Existing-home sales declined in January to their lowest rate in nine months, but the pace was higher than a year ago for the fourth straight month, according to the National Association of Realtors®. All major regions experienced declines in January, with the Northeast and West seeing the largest.

Home-Price Growth Slightly Accelerates in Fourth Quarter of 2014

WASHINGTON (February 11, 2015) – The majority of metropolitan areas experienced steady but slightly stronger price growth in the fourth quarter of 2014, behind a decline in housing supply and an uptick in demand fueled by lower interest rates and a stronger job market, according to the latest quarterly report by the National Association of Realtors®.

Existing home median price ()

Housing Starts ()

New home sales ()

National economic indicators

Home ownership

4th Qtr 2014

+64.0%

4th Qtr 2013

+65.2%

The homeownership rate in the fourth quarter 2014 was 64.0 percent, down 1.2 (+/- 0.4) percentage points from the fourth quarter 2013 rate of 65.2 percent. The homeownership rates in the Northeast, Midwest and South were lower than the rates in the fourth quarter 2013, while the rate in the West was not statistically different from the rate a year ago.

New home sales

January 2015

-0.2%

December 2014

+8.1%

Sales of new single-family houses in January 2015 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 481,000. This is 0.2 percent (+/- 22.2%)* below the revised December 2014 estimate of 482,000.

Source: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

How much is your home worth? Get a real-time report on the value of your home.Start now

Regional market updates

View market statistics for your region.

Click on the links below to view data from two different industry sources. Choose information on local prices & state sales from any of 178 metropolitan housing markets prepared by the National Association of REALTORS® or information on sales & price activity from local area markets in 25 states prepared by Clarus MarketMetrics.

Local Sales & Price Activity

Melissa Conrad

Home Ownership matters…to people, to communities, and to America. Why? • For every two homes sold, one job is created in the U.S. • Each purchase generates as much as $60,000 in economic activity over time. Read more

Buying is now cheaper than renting in 74 percent of the nation’s largest cities. Low home prices and “rock-bottom” interest rates as well as tax advantages of homeownership are the reasons why it’s now cheaper to BUY a 2-bdrm home than to rent one. Check out this CNN Money article with the details. Read more

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, statements and/or ideas expressed in this Message Section do not reflect the ideas, policy, position, views or opinion of Move,Inc.

Consumer tips & hot properties

Our Housing Report Says the Market Is Out of Whack—But With 4 Bright Spots

Realtor.com’s monthly housing report reveals a national market struggling to balance supply and demand—but with four bright spots.

Housing Trends eNewsletter is filled with U.S. Census Bureau key market indicators, consumer videos, blogs, a real estate glossary, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, real estate radio, realtor.com® local community reports and local and national real estate sales and price activity provided by local MLSs and the National Association of REALTORS®.

Subscribe to the free Housing Trends eNewsletter to receive it each month. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Information contained in this eNewsletter is compiled from a variety of sources. The accuracy and authenticity has not been verified by Move, Inc., is subject to change, is provided "as is" and is not guaranteed. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Move, Inc. Move, Inc. makes no representations or warranties of any nature with regard to the privacy and/or business practices of the websites linked from or to this eNewsletter nor the accuracy and authenticity of any information contained in such websites, and is not responsible for any content contained in any linked site or for any action or lack of action by any linked site whatsoever, including their use of any information they may collect.